Ph.D. program requirements

             
GRADUATE STUDY FOR A Ph.D. IN PHYSICS (Revised July, 2007)
 
Requirements for advanced degrees are established by the University, the Graduate School, and the Physics Department.  Broadly viewed, the Departmental requirements for the Ph.D. are satisfactory completion of minimum course requirements, advancement to candidacy, and completion of a thesis.  The student's adviser should be consulted if there are questions or problems.
 
(a)      Ph.D. Minimum Course Requirements
All candidates for the Ph.D. degree are required to take the following courses:
 
          Ph 561, 505                  Mathematical Methods*
          Ph 651, 652, 653          Quantum Mechanics
          Ph 654                          Advanced Quantum Theory
          Ph 621, 641, 642          Dynamics/Statistical Thermophysics
          Ph 631, 632, 633          Electromagnetic Theory.
*The Mathematical Methods requirement for Physics graduate students consists of Ph561 (3 credits) plus concurrent enrollment in Ph505 (Reading and Conference, 1 credit).
 
The majority of these course requirements are to be completed in the first two years of the graduate student's program, subject to the scheduling of required courses.  Exceptions to this rule must have the approval of the head graduate advisor.

All candidates for the Ph.D. degree must take 9 credits of advanced courses in their specialty area.  These courses may consist of a single graduate sequence such as Ph671/2/3 (Condensed Matter Physics) or Ph681/2/3 (Optical Physics), or may be selected from the offering of specialty courses with the approval of the student's major professor. In addition, all candidates for the Ph.D. degree must take one "breadth" course (at least 3 credits) outside their specialty area.  Courses that may be used to satisfy this requirement include,
 
          Ph 575              Introduction to Solid State Physics
          Ph 585              Introduction to Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
          Ph 595              Introduction to Particle and Nuclear Physics
          Ph 671              Condensed Matter Physics
          Ph 681              Atomic/Molecular/Optical Physics
The selection of the "breadth" course must have the approval of the Head Graduate Advisor or the student's Program Committee
 
Required seminars: 

• All graduate students are required to register for and attend the Department Seminar (Colloquium, Ph607-1) each term.

• All graduate students are required to take the Seminar on Professional Communications for Physicists for one term (Ph 607-4).

• First-year students are required to take the Research Seminar for one term (Ph 607-4).  Professional Science Masters students are exempt from this requirement.

• Graduate Teaching Assistants are required to take the TA Seminar (Ph 607-2) during Fall Term of their first year of study. 

Minimum credit requirement for graduate assistants:
Graduate students with full-time assistantships (teaching or research) are required by the Graduate School to take not fewer than twelve nor more than fifteen credit hours per quarter.  These credits need not all be in graduate level courses (500 and 600 level).
 
Example Program 

Below is a possible program that satisfies the departmental course requirements over seven quarters within these limits.  Many variations are possible, and sometimes necessitated by the offering schedules of required courses.
 
1st year       Fall                      Winter                   Spring
                    Ph 561/505 (4)    Ph 621 (3)          Ph 641 (3)
                    Ph 631 (3)           Ph 632 (3)          Ph 633 (3)
                    Ph 651 (3)           Ph 632 (3)          Ph 633 (3)  
                    Ph 607-1 (1)        Ph 607-1 (1)       Ph 607-1 (1)
                    Ph 607-2 (1)        Ph 607-4 (1)       Research (2)           
                                                                                   
2nd year       Ph 642 (3)            Specialty I (3)      Specialty II (3)
                     Ph 654 (3)            Ph 607-1 (1)         "Breadth" (3)             
                     Ph 607-1 (1)        Spec. Sem.* (1)     Ph 607-1 (1)
                     Spec. Sem.* (1)   Research (7)          Ph 607-4 (1)
                     Research (4)                                      Research (4)
 
3rd year       Specialty III (3)
                    Ph 607-1 (1)
                    Spec. Sem* (1)
                    Research or Thesis (7)
 
*Specialized research seminars such as the Solid State and Optical Seminar (Ph 607-301)
Once the course requirements have been satisfied, the program consists of a 12-credit combination of elective courses, seminars, and research or thesis depending on the student's research interests and guidance from his or her major professor and committee.
 
An ideal schedule would allow a student to complete his or her course requirements and pass the comprehensive examination by the beginning of the third year.  Students are encouraged to begin exploring research opportunities during the first year of study and to engage in research as soon as possible, but in any case during the second year of study.  
                 
(b)         Advancement to Candidacy
 
In addition to the course requirements, the student must pass comprehensive written and oral examinations (see separate description).  After the written exams, the student must pass a preliminary oral examination for advancement to candidacy.  This examination will be on the broad subject of physics, as well as any minor fields such as mathematics.  It is the responsibility of each oral exam chairman (usually the student's program adviser) to describe the exam, and its possible outcomes, in detail to each examinee.
 
(c)         Completion of a Thesis
 
During the first year of study, the student should make an effort to become informed about the fields of specialization offered in the department.  These fields include experimental, theoretical, and computational studies in the areas of Atomic/Molecular/Optical Physics, Condensed Matter Physics, and Physics Education Research.  The semnar, "Introduction to Research" offered each Winter Term is an excellent place to begin this process.  Other opportunities include specialty courses in various fields, visits to laboratories where work is in progress, specialized seminars, and the department colloquia at which a wide range of topics is discussed.  Journals are available online via any campus internet connection and journals in some specialties are available for the student's perusal in the department reading room.
 
As early as possible the student should select a program adviser who specializes in the field which appears to be of greatest interest to the student.  This program adviser may be one of the faculty with whom the student has become acquainted through contact in classes, seminars, advising, etc.  At an appropriate stage, the student will select a thesis project adviser, who may be the program adviser, or another person in the same field of research, or even another person in a different field of research.  It is understood that as the student's competence and experience is broadened, he or she may wish to change fields of specialties, and this method provides a mechanism for such a change without prejudice.
 
Under the direction of the program adviser, the student's program is planned beyond the core curriculum, and a committee is set up to submit formally an approved program to the graduate council.  This same committee gives the oral examination for candidacy.  Its members may be changed in case of need or desire.
 
The thesis adviser will assume direction of the student's program, aid in selection of the thesis project, and help the student to obtain financial support for the research project and to establish professional contacts.
 
There are four steps which are designed to aid the student and major professor in helping the Ph.D. candidate toward the degree:
 
(1)     As early as possible after choice of program adviser or major professor, a program committee is selected to consider and approve the student's proposed program, and the program is then submitted to the Graduate School.  This committee normally includes the major professor, another professor knowledgeable in the specialty field, two other physics faculty members, and an outside representative appointed by the graduate school.  All except the last are selected by mutual agreement between the major professor and the student.  This program-filing is a Graduate School requirement.  This full committee also administers the required oral examination for admission to candidacy.
 
(2)     As soon as a thesis problem has been selected, the bibliography mastered, and the first preliminary rough results obtained, the student presents an outline of the scope, background, and purpose of the research to the physics members of the committee.  This should constitute a proposal of what is to be done for the thesis research.  It is the Committee's responsibility to pass on the suitability of the proposal, so that if it is done as planned, it would comprise an acceptable thesis project.  This step is designed to clarify, for all concerned, exactly what is expected.  It is not intended to be restrictive; if a new line of interesting work appears in the course of the project, the committee would be expected to be hospitable to a suggestion for a change of plans.  Once the initial plan is approved the student is to file a thesis title with the Graduate School.  (This title can be changed by petition as often as necessary.)
 
(3)     When the work is in its final stages another meeting of the physics members is to be called and a rough "first draft" considered.  It is the committee's responsibility to review this draft in the light of the original (or modified) plan in order to pass on its scientific merit and to suggest any necessary alterations or extensions.  The purpose of this meeting is to avoid extensive changes on the student's final draft, and to avoid the disappointment and coercion of the committee members and the student.
 
(4)     After final typing of the thesis, the full committee (including the graduate representative) is called together for the thesis defense and approval of the thesis in final form.  Questions about any areas of physics may be asked at this examination at the discretion of the committee.
 
(5)     The departmental thesis requirement shall be considered fulfilled when:
 
          (a)   The full committee has approved the thesis (see previous paragraph)
 
                    and
 
(b)   A notice of receipt of an article to be considered for publication by a reviewed journal is placed in the student's file.  This article is to consist essentially of the major results and analysis of the student's research.
 
(6)     After handing in the thesis the student needs to fulfill all university requirements and hand in two copies of the thesis, in the required format, to the graduate school. The students shall also give the department three copies (one-sided, on special paper). The department will bind these copies, one will be returned to the student, one kept in the departmental archives, and one will be given to the major professor.
 
 
(d)     Minor Requirements
 
There is no formal minor requirement for the Ph.D., but every candidate will be expected to have a satisfactory background in mathematics and a broad knowledge of physics beyond the area of the specialty.  Preparation in these areas will be subject to examination at (a) the Ph.D. candidacy oral and (b) the thesis defense oral, as well as in the written comprehensives.